A Strictly Come Dancing legend is making an epic “return” to the show four years after leaving.
Former professional Kevin Clifton is set to make a comeback in the BBC series – but not in the way fans have seen him before.
The 41-year-old dancer will take on a new role in spin-off show It Takes Two for the Choreography Corner, which analyzes the dancers of the week.
Kevin will stand in for his sister Joanne, who was also a professional on the show from 2014 to 2016, for four weeks.
Fan favorite Kevin joined Strictly in 2013 and left after seven years to work with artists including Susanna Reid, Frankie Bridge and Louise Redknapp. In 2018 he won the glitter ball with his current girlfriend Stacey Dooley.
Exciting: A Strictly Come Dancing legend is making an epic ‘return’ to the show four years after leaving
Hooray! Kevin Clifton, who appeared on the show as a professional dancer for seven years, will return (pictured after winning with girlfriend Stacey Dooley in 2018)
In March 2020, he announced his retirement, saying he wanted to focus on “other areas” of his career, which later turned out to be musical theater.
Host Fleur East announced his return after Tuesday’s episode, saying: “Well, Joanne, you’re off next week, aren’t you?”
“Yes boys and ghouls, next week is Halloween.” She then added that fans are in for a “spooky treat.”
She continued: “It’s a scary time for our Strictly couples, made even scarier by the return of Kevin Clifton for Choreography Corner.”
And viewers can also join in – by choosing Kevin’s Halloween costume.
Fans can choose between the evil Joker Nurse, the undead living doll from the Chucky films or the Addams family’s daughter, Wednesday.
Joanne further revealed that she and Kevin were “not at all” fans of Halloween when they were younger and would “stay in the house crying.”
Fleur joked, “We’d better not trigger any memories when your brother is here.”
Star of the show: Kevin was known for being at the top of the leaderboard (pictured with Susanna Reid)
Proud moment: Kevin won the show in 2018 with Stacey Dooley, with whom he now has daughter Minnie
Stacey recently admitted that marrying Kevin “isn’t particularly important to her” despite the couple welcoming daughter Minnie in January.
The presenter will give an insight into her family life in an episode of Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, highlighting the challenges the couple faced while adapting to parenthood.
And Stacey says motherhood is her “hardest job ever”, meaning the couple have ruled out having another baby while they “fail” to be parents.
She told The Sun: “Marriage was never particularly important to me.” Plus, it’s well documented that Kev has done it a few times.
“So, that’s something you have to keep in mind when you walk down the aisle and say, ‘Hi everyone, I know what you’re all thinking.’ It was just never something I dreamed of. But I couldn’t have done it (motherhood) without Kev.’
In the raw documentary, Stacey ponders whether she would like to have another child while also dealing with the challenges of raising a newborn, including raging hormones and lack of sleep.
She adds: “I don’t know how people can have four children. ‘I had one and I completely failed.’
The transition to parenthood has led to some tense moments between the couple, as viewers will learn in the documentary.
In June, Kevin revealed he would be taking a break from work after completing the Strictly Ballroom tour to focus on looking after baby Minnie.
He told Digital Spy: “It went on to Singin’ in the Rain, Rock of Ages, The War of the Worlds, Burn the Floor, then I did The Games on ITV, Who Do You Think You Are?” and then back to Singin ‘in the Rain on tour.
“Then I started rehearsals for Strictly Ballroom the day after I finished Singin’ in the Rain.”
“By the time I finish in mid-July it will have been a ten-month tour of Strictly Ballroom. So since we got through Covid, it’s been non-stop.
“So I’ve decided that I’m going to take a break from all performing for the rest of this year just to be a dad. “I just don’t want to miss anything from Minnie.
“So, yeah, my plan is to take a break once this contract expires.”
Not yet: Stacey recently admitted that marrying Clifton “isn’t particularly important to her”, despite the couple welcoming their daughter Minnie in January